


Casual Observers: The Best Friend, the Niece

by Browneyesparker



Series: Casual Observers [10]
Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Casual Observers, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, girl meets world - Freeform, joshaya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2018-04-26 03:19:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4988122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Browneyesparker/pseuds/Browneyesparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even at the tender age of 5, Riley Matthews could tell almost as soon as her best friend and her uncle laid their eyes on each other that it was going to be a very special story just like it was in all the Disney movies. He was looking at her like she was a princess and she was looking at him like he was a prince. Riley couldn’t believe Maya’s luck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Casual Observers: The Best Friend, the Niece

**.**

**Chapter 10**

_the Best Friend, the Niece_

Even at the tender age of 5, Riley Matthews could tell almost as soon as her best friend and her uncle laid their eyes on each other that it was going to be a very special story just like it was in all the Disney movies. He was looking at her like she was a princess and she was looking at him like he was a prince. Riley couldn’t believe Maya’s luck.

When Riley got older, she would swear that she was able to hear songs from the Broadway Cinderella when they looked at each other for the first time.

_Ten minutes ago I saw you, I looked up when you came from the door, my head started reeling, you gave me the feeling the room had no ceiling or floor. Ten minutes ago, I met you and we murmured our how do you dos, I wanted to ring out the bells and fling out my arms and to sing out the news, I have found her, she’s an angel._

They spent the summer together, playing house and singing _High School Musical_ songs off key and dancing around the living room to old music and Riley was pretty sure they had fallen in love with each other between Scooby Doo reruns and Pixar movie marathons.

Riley for her part, watched and day dreamed about the day when she would find her very _own_ Prince Charming.

**.**

A year later. Maya’s perfect world had come crashing down and she stopped smiling. Riley couldn’t _really_ understand why her best friend was so sad but she could hear her parents whisper the word _divorce_ like it was a four-letter word, something you didn’t ever say. Especially in front of children or in polite company.

When they did talk about it with her, they told her that Maya’s life was going to change forever and she would need her more than ever.

Riley was up to the task.

But she failed miserably. Maya wouldn’t smile, somehow it had gotten lost and despite her best efforts, it looked like it wasn’t coming back ever again.

Until something magical happened.

Josh came to spend the summer with them while her grandparents went back to Europe for a long overdue second honeymoon. He had only been there a short time when he succeeded in doing what Riley had failed doing all year.

Maya was smiling again in a way only Josh could get her to smile, her eyes shining brighter than they had since the summer before. There was a celebration that night in fluffy princess dresses and with pizza and ice cream and a show on Broadway.

Josh and Maya held hands the whole entire night.

**.**

Riley watched from the kid’s table, her Crayola crayons and coloring pages forgotten as she watched Josh and Maya together on the dance floor. They had been there ever since the music had started to play after dinner, their chicken Marsala had long grown cold as they twisted and turned and spun in their wedding clothes and bare feet, they were laughing together, speaking in a language that only the two of them could understand.

She had joined them occasionally for the Cupid Shuffle and the Cha-Cha Slide but for the most part, she had just watched them and wondered when her turn was going to come. Her mother and father had practically been together since they were in the womb and her aunt Morgan had just married the first guy that she had seriously dated. Josh and Maya would have the same story when they were older, about how they met and nobody else would do.

Riley was definitely having a little visit from the Green-Eyed Monster. She couldn’t escape it, no matter how hard she tried.

**.**

Riley was one hundred percent certain since Josh and Maya had been apart for a while, they would forget all about their childhood infatuation with each other. There was no way Maya was going to be her aunt. _No way!_

Except, now all these years later, they were still looking at each other like a Disney prince and princess did when they saw each other for the first time, it was still like _Ten Minutes Ago_ was playing in the background when they looked at each other. Except, this wasn’t the first time they had seen each other, it was maybe the dozenth time they’d seen each other.

It should have started to get old after a while.

Even though she knew from personal experience that it probably never would. Every time she looked at Lucas, it was like seeing him on the subway for the first time. So, no matter how weird it was for her, she knew it would probably never go away for Josh and Maya. Except if their little crush on each other ever faded.

She knew in the back of her mind it wasn’t ever going to go away.

Riley didn’t want Maya to be her aunt.

**.**

Every time Josh said he was too old for Maya, Riley knew that he was saying it mostly for his benefit and not to Maya.

Maya just took it personally because she didn’t know any better. She didn’t know what Josh really meant.

And even though Riley would wince inside every single time Josh said _I’m three years older than you_ , she couldn’t help but reiterate it. For Josh’s sake and for Maya’s. If they did _this_ thing before they were ready, they would only regret it later on, Riley was sure of it.

**.**

Riley really knew it wasn’t just a crush when Maya told the college girls and Andrew and Josh _why_ she liked him. It was the best reasons for a girl to like a boy that she had heard in a long time.

She still didn’t want to believe it. She wouldn’t believe it. Ignorance was bliss, after all. Maybe one day, Maya would find somebody new and forget all about Josh.

It wasn’t likely but she could hope.

**.**

“I’m just going to ask his advice, Riles!” Maya said as she pulled Josh’s number up on speed dial. “It isn’t like I’m trying to make him jealous or anything! I want to know what he thinks about me going out with Ross.”

“Trust me, Maya, I wouldn’t ask him if I were you. It only has the potential to go wrong!” Riley protested. “Besides, are you sure you don’t want to make him just a little jealous?”

Maya rolled her eyes. “I’m _sure_ , Riles! Geez. He’s my friend, can’t a girl ask her friend for advice?”

 _Not when that friend likes you back,_ Riley mentally answered but she didn’t say it aloud, she knew it wasn’t her place to say anything. Josh would tell Maya how he felt when she was ready.

“Maya just don’t! You might regret it!” Riley said, trying to make a grab for Maya’s phone.

“Too late!” Maya answered. “He picked up! Hi Josh, it’s me! I need to ask your opinion on something. . . okay, somebody asked me out at school today and I wanted to know if I should say yes or not. . .” she trailed off, her eyes growing wide. “No, I’m not trying to make you jealous! It isn’t like you’re my boyfriend, I can go out with whoever _I_ want! Fine, maybe I _will_ go out with him! You’re not lying to me are you? You really don’t care? Why did I call you in the first place? I don’t know anymore. . . you know what, you can go and _screw_ yourself Josh! I’m hanging up now. You can’t tell me what to do!”

Maya threw the phone and growled in frustration. She shot Riley a dirty look. “Don’t say anything Riley Matthews!”

Riley shook her head. “I wasn’t going to say anything, I swear!”

Maya pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, a distraught look growing on her face. “How could I be stupid!? I shouldn’t have called him. I probably wrecked _everything_! He’s not going to want to talk to me again! I have to do something!”

Maya started out the door and Riley chased after her, close at her heels.

“Maya, what are you going to do? Don’t do anything stupid!”

Topanga stopped her in her tracks. “ _What_ is going on!?” she asked.

“Maya and Josh got into a huge fight!” Riley answered, struggling to follow Maya out of the apartment. “I think Riley is going to confront him about it! She can’t just leave New York without telling anybody what she’s doing or where she’s going!”

“I’m pretty sure we know where she’s going,” Topanga replied.

Riley frowned. “But Josh doesn’t like her like that.”

“Oh come on sweetie, you can’t be that oblivious!” Topanga said not unkindly.

Riley released a deep breath and wrinkled her nose. “I’m really not, mommy! I just don’t want to believe it! Because that means Maya might be my aunt some day! And that’ll be really weird. But I don’t want them to fight, I like it when they get along and are friends.”

“I know,” Topanga soothed, brushing Riley’s hair away from her face. “You don’t have to worry about it right now though, they’re only old enough to be friends anyways. Come on and help me finish dinner.”

“But she’s still going to see him!”

“And I’m sure we’ll hear all about it when she gets back to New York,” Topanga answered, directing Riley to the kitchen.

And her mother was right. When both Maya and Josh came waltzing into the apartment later that night, they both had a lot to say and everything was just the same between them like when they were little kids. But there was something there that wasn’t there before too.

**.**

“I had a really good time tonight,” Riley gushed as she and Lucas stood outside her apartment door, drawing out their goodnight.

Lucas smiled bashfully. “I did too.”

Riley sighed. “I have to go inside, mom and dad went out on a date too tonight. Josh and Maya are watching Auggie, I promised I wouldn’t leave them alone with him for too long.”

Lucas nodded in understanding. “Same time next week then?”

“Of course!”

“Good, I’ll see you in school on Monday, Riles,” Lucas said.

“See you on Monday,” Riley replied, pecking him on the cheek before she could stop herself. She fumbled with her keys and unlocked the door, casting glances at Lucas’s retreating figure as she did.

When she got inside, she was treated to the sight of another one of Maya and Josh’s dances. They had pulled the coffee table out of the way and put on one of Topanga’s old Annie Lennox albums and the two of them along with Ava and Auggie were dancing around the living room.

Josh and Maya’s movement together had only approved over their years together. They moved with the skill of a couple who had been dancing together for their whole lives. Ava and Auggie had nothing on them even though they were putting their best efforts in to keep up with the older pair.

Josh spun Maya in and out and dipped her and brought her back up again, pulling her a little closer than before, their foreheads touched and Maya closed her eyes as they swayed together to the music.

Riley just watched from the doorway, not in any mood to interrupt them in their moment.

**.**

“I’m going to ask Josh to prom,” Riley told Maya.

“I figured you would!” Riley said. “Do you know what you’re going to say when you ask him?”

Maya shook her head. “I don’t know. . . I haven’t thought about it,” she admitted.

“Pretend I’m Josh and practice on me,” Riley said.

“I’m not nervous to ask him to come with me!” Maya retorted. “I just don’t know what I’m going to say when I ask him to come with me.”

“Well, just because you’re _not_ nervous to ask him doesn’t mean you can’t practice,” Riley said primly. “It’s always good to be prepared, you know. Come on, pretend that I’m Josh!”

Maya rolled her eyes. “Riley, I’m not going to pretend that you’re Josh!”

“Oh come on!” Riley wheedled as understanding dawned on her face. “You _are_ nervous to ask him! Oh my gosh!”

“Riley, why are you making a huge deal out of this?”

“Because you’re usually so cool and confident!”

“Not when it comes to Josh,” Maya answered.

“You have nothing to worry about, I’m sure that he’s going to say yes!”

“I’m not worried he’ll say no! I’m worried about _asking_ him. I’ve never asked anybody out before. And Farkle doesn’t count! That was for _you_ , Peaches.”

Riley smiled. “Pretend I’m Josh,” she repeated. “Ask me to the dance the first way it pops in your head. Come on, ask me!”

“Josh. . .”

“Yes?” Riley asked, trying to imitate Josh’s voice.

“Josh, do you think you’d like to come to prom with me?” Maya said.

“That’s it!?” Riley asked.

“That’s the best I’ve got, Riles!” Maya answered. “You told me to say the first thing that popped in my head and that was the first thing!”

“Well, we have a little bit of time to work on it!” Riley said. “We’ll come up with something perfect!”

Except, no matter how much they practiced and rethought what to say, Maya stuck with the first way she was going to ask.

Josh still said yes.

**.**

Riley thought if anything happened between them, it would happen on prom night. Her and her friends worked it out so it _would_ happen on prom night. They even went as far to have Josh and Maya’s song play, Farkle even paid everybody off to clear the dance floor for the none couple.

But the dance ended and the night passed and they still weren’t anything more but two friends, forever dancing around the way they really felt about each other. And no matter how hard she tried, Riley couldn’t get Maya to talk about how she was really feeling.

**.**

Maya turned 18, she graduated from high school, she got accepted into the art program at NYU and nothing happened between her and Josh.

Riley held out hope for them, like she had with her and Lucas and Pluto for all the passing years. She knew they were meant to be together whether they were 18 and 21 or 40 and 43. It was just a matter of time, Life would eventually have her way and they would stop being stupid. They would get together and get their happily ever after.

She just knew it.

**.**

In the summer, they all went on vacation to the Cape.

Josh and Maya spent every waking minute together, doing God knew what. They would run away in the wee small hours of the morning and not come back until night had started to fall, unless they were told to stay put because they were going to do something together.

Even then, they were in a world all of their own.

It was the summer everything changed, they were falling off the cusp of something more and into the real thing for once and for all. It was only a matter of time before it all came to a gigantic head and they had to face their feelings for each other, Riley was sure of it.

**.**

As long as she lived, Riley was going to remember January 1st. It was the night everything finally imploded. At the stroke of midnight, Josh had kissed Maya to welcome in the New Year. He did it because everybody else in the room had somebody, they had only had each other.

The kiss lasted a little longer than it should have for a New Year’s kiss. There was a dozen years of pent up attraction and emotion in that kiss, it was a wonder it didn’t last forever. When they finally pulled away from each other, neither of them said a word to each other. Instead, they separated and ran in different directions.

Riley followed Maya, grabbing both their coats to protect them from the frigid Philly air.

Maya was sitting on one of the old wooden chairs, her arms were wrapped around her waist to ward off the cold. Riley dropped her coat over her shoulders.

“Are you okay?” She asked with concern.

“Oh Riley. . .” Maya trailed off and met her eyes. “I’m more than okay! It was wonderful! Being kissed by somebody you love and who loves you in return. . . it's wonderful!”

“Then why aren’t you in the house with Josh right now?” Riley asked, pulling her own coat on and rubbing her hands together.

“I am a little scared,” Maya admitted. “This changes everything! We’ve been friends for so long. . . I’m afraid if we do this and it doesn’t work out, it’ll ruin everything.”

“You know it’s going to work out though,” Riley answered. “You’ve seen my parents and Auntie Morgan and Uncle Mark. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, it’ll be _wonderful_!”

“I don’t know. Something could go wrong, it usually does for me when everything’s ‘wonderful’.”

“Have a little faith and hope!” Riley reprimanded gently. “And don’t you dare tell me that hope is for suckers because you and I both know that you haven’t gotten this far without it.”

“I know. I know. . . it’s just. . .” Maya trailed off. “I don’t know, what happens if I finally get everything I’ve ever wanted and it isn’t what I expected?”

“I’m _never_ going to let that happen!” Josh declared. “I am going to spend the rest of my life making sure life never disappoints you and if it does, I’m going to try as hard as I can to make it better.”

Riley squealed on the inside, she clapped her hand over her mouth and stood up. “I’m just going to go inside and leave the two of you alone.”

She peeked outside for a split second and saw Josh looking at Maya earnestly, his hands cupping her cheeks and talking quickly. Maya was smiling and nodding her head and forming a reply.

Riley was so excited for this next chapter in their lives.

**.**

“I love you,” Josh said.

“I love you more,” Maya answered.

“You two are disgustingly adorable,” Riley commented as she breezed past them, coming home from her date with Lucas.

“Riles, I’m trying to say goodnight here!” Maya said. “Could you _please_ go somewhere else?”

“I’ll go and brushed my teeth,” Riley replied, batting her eyelashes at them as she disappeared down the hallway.

**.**

The next step was obviously marriage. Two years after their first kiss, Josh came into the kitchen holding Maya’s hand up triumphantly.

“She said yes!” He crowed.

There was a round of congratulatory hugs and kisses and once the excitement calmed down, the Matthews women started to talk shop. They were all delighted that there was another wedding to look forward to and to plan.

Another happily ever after for the Matthews family.

It was the way it should be, Riley thought, as she accepted Maya’s offer to be the maid of honor.

**.**

“They look nice together,” Lucas said as they watched Maya and Josh dance at their wedding. “They make a very charming couple. They always have even before the fact.”

“Yeah, I know,” Riley answered, sighing dreamily. “They’re almost like a Disney prince and princess.”

“Excuse me?” Lucas asked, frowning slightly.

“Um. . .” Riley trailed off and grinned. “Nothing! Just something from when I was a little girl, that’s all.”

She tucked her arm in his and sighed contentedly as she watched her uncle and best friend dance into their happily ever after.

 

**The end**

**Author's Note:**

> I’m back. I had a nice long vacation, it was a much needed break. I did come down with a nasty sore throat/cold/headache combo in the last leg of the journey yesterday. And I feel like I am dying because of it. I am sorry this is the only chapter that I managed to get typed up. I planned to write at least two stories while I was away but I got busy visiting family, doing research for an original novel and helping out with my best friend’s wedding. I hope you will tell me what you thought of this chapter/installment. The next chapter I started to outline is Farkle’s. I hope you will stick around for it! And a couple of October surprises I have planned and of course I’ll try to update Maya soon.


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